This week our Director Colin Davis took part in an in depth Architecture Today webinar, with Oscar Acoustics and Vectorworks, exploring how architects can move beyond carbon metrics to deliver projects that are genuinely sustainable and regenerative, speaking alongside Martin Knight, Co-founding Director at Studio Knight Stokoe; Ben Hancock, Managing Director at Oscar Acoustics; Ella Thorns, Architect at Studio Bark; and James Lord, Landscape Lead and Partner at HTA Design LLP.

Find out more and replay webinar: Link

Colin presented two case studies demonstrating contrasting approaches to regenerative retrofit. Flat 347 Crescent house, is a pilot project for the City of London Corporation. An iconic model for urban living completed 60 years ago, Grade II* listed Crescent House (Chamberlin, Powell & Bon, 1962) suffered from heat loss, noise pollution, summer overheating, condensation, mould and leaks. Retrofit measures included replacing single glazing with high-performance vacuum glazing. While more expensive than conventional double glazing, the cost is offset by not needing to make significant changes to the window frames to incorporate the increased thickness of the glass. Having demonstrated that low impact heritage-sensitive interventions can significantly reduce energy bills, planning consent has been granted for the same works to be carried out to all the building’s 150 homes.

By way of contrast, Colin also presented the UK’s first Energiesprong pilot project, for Nottingham City Council, a ‘deep retrofit’ that involved adding super-insulated prefabricated panels, heat pumps, continuous ventilation and PV to 136 ‘hard to heat’ mixed-tenure dwellings to create near to net zero energy homes.

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Architecture Today webinar